Soldering iron or the like



June' 2, 1931. E. LUTGERT v I SOLDERING IRON OR THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet l INDENTOR 71 m M0:- ATTORNEI].

June 2, 1931. E. LUTGERT SOLDEBING IRON on THE LIKE Filed May 14, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NIJENTOR @1444 B1] 1', 4 5/ 7 4 ATTORNEL]. Q

Patented June 2, 1931 UNITED STATES, PATENT oFFics EDUARD' Ir-IITGERT, OF- SHEBOYGAN, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO AIR REDUCTION DELAWARE SALES COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF SOLDERING mom on THE LIKE Application filed May 14,

This invention relates to a soldering and heating torch or iron of the type using gaseous fuel.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is adapted for use with any one of a plurality of interchangeable burners of different types thereby adapting the tool- III is to provide to use low pressure gas such as the ordinary illuminating or city gas, or natural gas, or to use high pressure gas such as compressed hydrogen, or acetylene gas or the like.

Another important object of the invention a novel burner construction especially designed and adapted for use with a soldering iron or torch of this character and which precludes the extinguishing of the flame or the flashing back of the flameinto the mixing chamber of the burner and this even when the flame is cut down to a very small size.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel operating means for the valve regulating the supply of fuel to the burner whereby the operator may manipulate the tool with one hand and adjust the flamevwiththe thumb of the hand employed for grasping'the tool. erating means for the valve embodies a novel adjustment permitting of a very fine regulation of the flow of the fuel even after the iron or torch has been in use for some time and wear has occurred.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a shield for the flame where desirable to protect the same as when used invexposed places such as on roofs or the like during windy weather.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of the construction, arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly in central longitudinal section showing a soldering iron embodying the present invention and.

This op- 1928. Serial No. 277,410f

equipped with a burner of the type adapted to use low pressure city gas or natural gas; Figure 2 is a view in transverse section on line 2-2 of Figure 1, parts being shown in elevation for the sake of illustration;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in longi- Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a detail sectional-view taken on line 55 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a detail view similar to Figure 5 but showing only the valve operating member and its serrated socket;

tudinal section taken on line 3-3 of Figure Figure 7 is a view in section taken on line '77of Figure 1; a

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly in central longielevation showing the shield which may be employed;

Figure 11 is a view in end elevation of the parts shown in Figure 10;

Figure 12 illustrates how a different type of soldering iron may be organized with the burner and shield;

Figure 13 is a view in end elevation of the arts shown in Figure 12;

Flgure 14 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in central longitudinal section showing the device equipped with a blow torch tip;

Figure 15 is a fragmentary view partly in section and partly in side elevation showing a varied form of tip; I

Figure 16 is a View partly in side elevation and partly in section showing another type of tip; and t Figure 17 is a view inend elevation of the tip shown in Figure 16, parts being broken away and shown in section for the sake of illustration.

Referring to the drawings and more parnumeral 1 designates generally a combined gas supply line and handle which consists of a plpe 2 having one end threaded as at 3 and otherwise adapted for connectionto any suitable source of gaseous fuel. Usually the pipe 2 is coupled with a flexible hose or flexible pipe leading to a tank of compressed gas or to a connection with the city gas mains or with the natural gas mains. A sleeve handle 4 is-fitted on the pipe 2 and is so shaped externally as to be adapted to be conveniently grasped with one hand. A ferrule or cap 5 is fitted over the pipe 2 and over one end of the sleeve handle 4 and is held in place by a nut 6. The pipe 2 is threadedly connected as at 7 with the inlet nipple of a valve casing 8 and the valve casing has a shoulder 9 viding an abutment for one end of the sleeve handle 4. The valve casing 8 has an inlet passage 10 leading into a valve chamber 11 provided with a valve seat 12 (see Figure 2). A needle valve 13 is provided and has its tapered end cooperable with the valve seat 12. The needle valve has a threaded enlargement 14 on its shank engaging an internally threaded opening 15 in the valve casing so that when the needle valve is turned it is advanced into engagement with its seat or moved away from the same depending upon the direction in which the shank is turned. A cap 16 and packing washer 17 closes the opening 15 and packs the shank of the needlevalve to prevent escape of the gas. On the opposite side of the valve chamber 11 from the inlet passage 10 an outlet passage 18 is providedand, of course, its communication with the inlet passage 11 is controlled by the needle valve To provide for the convenient and exact adjustment of the needle valve a bushing 19 is threaded on the projecting portion of the shank 13 thereof, a portion of the bushing projecting beyond the shank. Externally the bushing is of hexagonal form to coact with a serrated socket 20 integrally formed with an operating member 21 extending angularly from the socket and overlying the valve casin just forwardly of the sleeve handle 4. Ihe socket 20 has a plurality (such as twelve or more) of V-shaped recesses 22 adapted to selectively receive the corners of the hexagonal bushing to permit of an exact and fine adjustment over a very wide range between the operating member and the valve. The socket and bushing are held engaged by means of a washer 23 which may be sweated or otherwise secured to the socket and a screw 24 having its head engaging the washer 23 and having its shank threaded into a portion of the bushing that projects beyond the valve shank 13.

The present invention pro oses the use of any one of anumber of di erent types of ings 29. The

pro-

burners and the type of burner shown in Figure 1 is adapted to use low pressure gas such as the ordinary city gas or natural gas. As illustrated, this burner comprises a mixing tube 25 in whicha gas in ector tip 26 is disposed, the tip 26- having its base threadedly connected to the mixrn tube as indicated at 27. The mixing tu he 25 is formed with a restricted portion 28 and rearwardly of this restricted portion 28 the mixing tube is provided with air inlet openoutlet orificeof the as injector tip 26 lies forwardly of these air inlet openings 29. A valve sleeve 30 is rotatably mounted on the portion of the mixing tube in which the .air inlet openings 29 are formed and has ports brought into partial or complete registry with the openings 29 or which may be moved to a position out of registration therewith to control the amount of or to shut off the flow of air into the mixing tube. One end of the valve sleeve 30 abuts a shoulder 32 formed on the mixin tube and the other end thereof is engaged by a nut 33 threaded on a connecting nipple 34, the latter having one end threadedly connected'to the injector tip, as at 34 (see Figures 1 and. 3). When the nut 33 is turned up against the valve sleeve it binds this valve sleeve between its forward face and the shoulder 32 thereby locking the valve sleeve in adjusted position. The forward end of the mixing tube is flattened out or is otherwise formed to be of gradually increasing oval or oblong .cross section, as will be understood by an instance, draughts, gusts of wind, and the like. And the flame will remain burning at the outer or flame end of the tube 25 and will not flash back into the mixing chamber even when it is cut down to a very small size.

The nipple 34 has a ball or a head 36 at its rearward end which fits in a socket 37 provided in the valve casing 8 at the inner end ofan internally threaded section 39 of the outlet opening 18. The ball is held against the wall of the socket and in gas tight engagement ther h by means of a mounted on the coupling sleeve is threaded into the valve casing it advances inwardly through the outle: opening thereof and forces the head 36 o '31 which may be.

nected with the the nipple against the wall of its socket 37 In this way the burner is releasably mounted on the valve casing. To facilitate turning of the sleeve 40 it is provided with a flange 40 of polygonal form and affording a wrench engaging member.

At its outer end the mixing tube is provided with an end plate 42 having an opening in which the end of the mixing tube is received. A weld 43 secures the end plate to the mixing tube. The portion of the end plate projecting above the mixing tube is formed with an opening 44 which is alined with an opening 45 provided in a lug 46' formed integral with the valve casing 8. A supporting rod 47 is provided and is preferably of non-circular cross section. The opening 44 is of corresponding cross section and slidably receives the rod 47 but holds it against any rotation. The rearward end of the rod is provided with a reduced extension 48 which fits in the opening 45 of the lug 46 and which is held in position by a lock screw 49 engaging a seat or recess 50 provided in the reduced extension 48. In this way the supporting rod 47 is positively although releasably supported by and 'secured to the valve casing and to the burners. The forward end of the, supporting rod 47 is angled upwardly as at 51 and has an iron 52 rigidly secured thereon. The iron 52 is located in advance of the flame end of the mixing tube and so the flame plays on the iron to maintain it heated.

A pilot tube 55 is provided and has its forward end extending through an opening 56 in a portion of-the end plate 42 that projects down below the mixing tube. The forward extremity of the pilot tube extends beyond plate 42 and has a discharge orifice 57 from which the gas issues. The jet of gas issuing from the orifice 57 is lighted to provide the pilot flame. The rearward end of the pilot tube 55 is threaded into an extension 58 of the valve casing 8 as indicated at 59 and communicates with a supply port 60 which-leads into the inlet passage 10 of the valve casing on the supply side of the valve. The amount of gas which always flows to the pilot tube is controlled by a metering valve 61 threaded into extension 58 and having a tapered valve end 62 cooperatively associated with a valve seat 63.

It will be understood that with this construction, the iron 52 and. its supporting rod 47 may be easily replaced and a different form of iron substituted. The removal of the iron shown in Figure 1 is effected by loosening the lock screw 49 and sliding the supporting rod 47 forwardly until the rod is disconnected from the end plate 44. Ifdesired, a different type of soldering iron may be substituted as will be hereinafter more fully described. Moreover, the burner may be readily removed and replaced by a different type of burner by simply backing of]? the coupling sleeve 40 until it is disengaged from the threaded outlet opening of the valve casing. The nipple 34 is then free of the valve casing and the whole burner and nipple assembly may be pulled pressure burner construction includes a nipple 34 substantially of the same construction as the nipple 34, the nipple 34' being coupled to the valve casing 8 in exactly the same way in that it has a ball or head-36 cooperable with the socket'37 of the valve caslng and a coupling sleeve 40' loosely mountedon the nipple and cooperable with the internally threaded outlet opening of the valve casing. The forward end of the nipple 34 is threaded into a gas injector tip 65 which has a reduced internally threaded portion 66 threaded into the rear end of the mixing tube 67. Just rearwardly of the orifice of the injector tip the mixing tube isprovided with air inlet openings 68. The principal difference between this high pressure burner and the low pressure burner of Figure 1 resides in the fact that it is not necessary to provide a valve for regulatingthe air inlet means for securing such a valve in position. At its forward end the mixing tube is flattened out to be of flaring formation or of gradually increasing oblong or oval cross section as indicated at'69. The construction in this respect is the same as that of the mixing tube 25 except that the mixing tube 67 is somewhat smaller. The forward extremity of the mixing tube 67 is welded to an end plate 42' of substantially the same construction as the end plate 42 of Figure 1. With the burner of Figure 8 coupled to the valve casing the opening 44 of the end plate is lined'up with the opening. of the lug 46 so that the iron may be supported as at Figure 1. The pilot tube 55 is also extended through the openings 55' of the end plate 42'. 6

With either the high or low burner construction it may be desirable to' provide a shield for the flame especially where the device is used in very Windy, draughty, or exposed places. As shown, in Figures 10 and 11, the shield comprises a U-shaped plate 70 having its body portion71 secured to the iron 52 by means of a screw 72 extending through the bodyportion having its head engaging the body portion and its shank threaded into the upper end of the iron. An insulating washer 73 of mica or other suitable material is fitted on the shank of the screw 72 between the body portion 71 and the iron. With this construction the wings 74 of the plate extend down along the sides of the iron and along the sides of the end ofthe burner to completely enclose the flame on the sides.

In Figure 12 a difi'erent type of iron is designated at 52 and is fixedly secured to the down turned end 51' of a supporting rod 47. The supporting rod 47 is fitted in the opening 44 of the end .plate 42 in the same manner as the supporting rod 47 and is also looked to the valve casing by the set screw 49. The rearward end of the iron 52' is recessed as at 52 and in this recess the flame plays. With this type of iron it may be desirable to employ a shield and the shield, when employed, also comprises a U-shaped plate having its wings 76 enclosing the flame on its sides and fastened to the sides of the iron by screws 77 and insulating washers 78.

The burner construction of Figure 8 may be readily adapted for use as a blow torch by removing the mixing tube 67, the soldering iron and its supporting rod 47, and substitutinga mixing tube 80. As shown in Figure 14, the mixing tube 80 threads on the nipple in the same manner as the mix ing tube 67 and Has similar air inlet openings 80' but is outer end is curved laterally and downwardly and provided with an internally threaded socket ,81 to receive a blow torch tip 82 'Ine blow torch tip 82 may be provided with an extension 83' for soldering parts located in difficult and inaccessible places such as some parts of an automobile radiator. Where a wide flat flame is desired, the tip may have a fan shaped nozzle 84 ap lied thereto, as shown in Figures 16 and 17.

The invention claimed is:

1 A device of the character described 1 comprising a valve casing having an internally threaded outlet 0 ening formed with a socket at itsinner en a nipple having a head at its inner end 'fitting'in said socket, a coupling sleeve loosely mounted on the nipple, abutting the head and threadedly connected with the outer opening of the valve casing, said nipple having its outer end threaded, a gas injector tip threadedly connected to the nipple and a mixing chamber receiving and threadedly connected to the gas injector ti 2. A soldering iron comprising a valve casing, means adapted to interconnect interchangeably the valve casing and any one of a plurality of different types of burners, an iron, and means on the valve casing operable to hold the iron in position with any of the burners.

3. A device of the character described comprising a valve casing having an outlet tor tip being adapted to be connected interchangeably with any one of a plurality of 7 difierent types of burner mixing chambers and flame tubes.

4. A soldering iron comprising a valve casing, a valve therein regulating the supply of fuel therethrough, means for interchangeabl connecting any one of a plurality of difiilrent types of burners with the valve casing, an iron, and means for supporting the iron in cooperative relation to the selected burner.

5. A soldering iron comprising a valve casing, a valve therein regulatin the flow of fuel therethrough, a Bunsen urner including a mixing tube and a gas injector tip threaded into the mixing tube, a nip 1e connected to the injector tip, a releasa le coupling between the nipple and the outlet side of the valve casing, an end plate carried by the forward end of the mixmg tube, a supporting rod connected to the end plate and to the valve casing and an iron secured to the rod in cooperative relation to the burner.

6. A soldering iron com rising a handle, a valve casing connected t ereto, a Bunsen burner carried by said casing, a rotaryvalve in said casing regulating the supply of gas to the burner, an operating member for the valve extending transversely across'the top of the casing and operable by the thrust when the hand grips the handle, and an adjustable connection between the operating member andthe valve.

7. A soldering iron comprising a handle, a valve casing connected thereto, a valve in said valve casin regulating the flow of fuel therethrough, a urner, a releasable connection between the burner and the valve cas ing, an end plate carried by the burner and aving openings, a pilot tube connected to the supply side of the'valve casing-and slidably fitted in one of said openings of said plate and having its flame end cooperatively isposed to the burner, an iron cooperatively disposed with respect to the burner, and a supporting rod for the iron slidably supported in the other opening of said plate and releasably secured to the valve casing, whereby both the burner and the iron may be removed and replaced as desired.

8. A soldering iron including a Bunsen burner having a gas injector tip, a mixing tube receiving-an connected to the gas injector tip and having air inlet ports surrounding the tip, said mixing tube having an internally constricted portion beyond the gasinjector tip and being of gradually increasing cross sectional area and of oblong shape in cross section toward its flame end and an iron adjacent said flame end and against which the flame plays.

9. A soldering iron comprising a Bunsen burner including a, mixing tube enlarging and of oval shape in cross section toward its flame end an iron so disposed as to be playefi upon by a flame progecting from the flame end of the mixing tn 9.

In witness whereof, 1 hereto afiix my signature. o

EDU LEJ'TGERT. 

